Episode 26 Landward

Hello, a very warm welcome to Landward for the final programme of

this series. As it is Christmas, we thought we should get together for

a meal. And we have chosen a stunning location of the Mar Lodge

estate on Royal Deeside. For once, I am not going to be doing any

cooking at all. I am just here to eat and to give my verdict on

everybody else's cooking. At the end of the programme, Sarah, Euan

wore myself will be crowned Landward Christmas Cook 2012. First,

here is what else is coming up in this festive edition of the

programme. Sarah will be cooking venison for

the main course and finding out how the Maray estate are managing the

deer population to enable the population of the Caledonian pine

forest. Nick will be finding out about Ma'am Launchy itself. I will

research a traditional Scottish recipe to create the perfect

Christmas dessert. And, at the end of the day, if we will find out

which one of us has created the We are spending the day at the

picturesque Claybokie House on the Mar Lodge estate. This is nice.

Very nice. It's very lovely, isn't it? Comfortable. It's good, isn't

it? Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot relax because we all have courses

to prepare, except for Nick, here in an advisory capacity only. Nick,

your first step. Do you want to go into the kitchen first? I don't

need the kitchen, because I've got a strange twist on a traditional

starter and for that I need to be What I am doing is a traditional,

slightly unconventional way of cooking salmon. This is hot smoked

Caledonian pine salmon. This was taught to me by a native American

Indian in the Rockies in Canada. They used sockeye salmon but it

should work well for Scottish salmon. You name it to the board

and get it as close to the fire as you can. It will basted its own

juices. When the essence of the smoke get into that, it's fantastic.

We don't want too much, because the second section is going to be cold

smoked salmon. For that, we are going to use some sawdust I cut up

with a chainsaw earlier on. We will smoke that overnight and serve it

with a deconstructed blinis, a creme fraiche sauce and a hint of

sorrel mushroom and Amethyst deceiver. With the hot smoked

salmon, I'm using hand foraged wild wood sorrel sauce, which I gathered

this morning. The Scottish Salmon, as everybody knows, is the king of

fish. This is the king of rivers, the Dee, one of the best salmon

rivers in Scotland. A few weeks ago, the amazing sight of salmon coming

up for spawning was phenomenal. We were there to see it happen. Once

they have made the epic journey up the river, the salmon have to

insure a new generation of fish is produced. I met up with Edwin of

the Dee Fishery Board to see if we can spot any salmon as they are

spawning. It's a crucial stage 4 salmon just now. They lie in the

middle of their spawning time. it a myth that they come back to

the place they were born? actually they do have a strong

homing instinct. Some of the fish that are spawning in the gravel

beside does have actually been born there themselves. -- beside us.

Where are we heading for? We are going to blend Hannon, --

Glentanner, which is a good spawning plates. We will catch up

with the lads doing the survey there to see what the spawning is

going to be like. If you look back in the old records, it starts in

the third week of October. This year, it has started in the third

week of October. It has stayed the same for well over 50 years.

have now come up the river to one of the tributaries of the Dee. This

is typical sporting country? typical spawning area. The

tributaries are used a lot by Sam and was born in. Why this bit? It's

pretty shallow and rocky. That is what they're looking for. They are

looking for shallow water. The female comes to a place like this.

When she is ready to spawn, she will test a few areas, she will

find a place that she likes and she will start digging her redd, like a

nest. There is a practical reason for these, it's not just because

they look cool. These are polarised glasses. They cut out the glare and

allows us to see below the surface of the water. Is it male fish that

we are saying at the moment? You'll see some salmon flashing up the

river. Yes, at spawning time, most of them will be the males pushing

and shoving and try to establish their position. Hormones are racing.

This is what they have been waiting for since they came back from the

sea. They might have come in six or seven months ago and it all depends

on being successful, right here, right now on the spawning beds.

many of the salmon, this will be their final journey as they put all

their effort into spawning and producing the next generation of

fish. After spawning, many will die in the very river that their lives

Well, here it is. I think it looks magnificent. Now it's time to plate

up. How are you? Very well, thank you. I'm quite happy with this.

What have we here? Salmon, nailed to a board and cooked in front of a

Caledonian pine fire. That looks like it had a troubled birth.

had an emotional journey. Very rustic! When the fire dies down, we

have some sawdust, the chainsaw, collected that sawdust and mixed it

with oak sawdust. We put that on and it slow-cooked it. Is it salmon

or trout? It is salmon, but it does Euan is serving smoked salmon with

creme fraiche and an Amicis deceiver. -- amethyst. It is hugely

ambitious, but can he pull it off? Here we have Caledonian pine cooked

salmon with a wild, hand gathered sorrel sauce. We have smoked salmon

blinis with creme fraiche and topped with an amethyst deceiver.

Its 100% safe, but not compulsory. I'll hold my hand up, the sauce has

separated. It certainly has. It is going to taste fantastic. It looks

like scrambled egg, it's quite nice. I just needed to change the sauce.

I'm very impressed, Euan. colourful. I'm also worried because

I've got to deserve to do and this is a good start.

So, Euan's smoky surprise with de constructed sauces going down well.

At least that is what they say at the table. Let's hear what they

really think. I really enjoyed the salmon. Two megabytes of smoked

salmon, delicious. The sauce on the side was split, but it was tasty.

Sophisticated and challenging. I'm going to a ward that eight. I like

the scale and ambition of the starter. Two different types of

smoked salmon. I thought it could have been cured for a bit longer

before being smoked. I liked the sauce when I tasted it,

unfortunately it curdled. Home-made blinis, delicious, I give it seven.

Now I've been able to recover from the heartburn from the starter, I

can reflect on the ingredients. I thought the salmon was lovely. I

thought the sauce was gloopy, which let him down. Apart from that, a

good start to the meal. A little bit too heavy for my liking.

Therefore, Euan, I would like to award you a seven. And smile

convincingly... That's the girl! That gives Euan a respectable 22

While the others get on and prepare their Christmas dishes, I'm getting

away from the kitchen to enjoy our surroundings. I'm heading along the

road to the centrepiece of the I meet up with housekeeper Jane

Torrance, who knows just about every nook and cranny of this

amazing building. It was mainly for hunting and shooting. Because it

belonged to the Duke of Fife, married to Princess Teresa, Queen

Victoria's granddaughter, they also entertained the Royal Family.

really became a playground for the they used to come for the hunting,

the fishing, the shooting, they used to enjoy the house and the

estate. The house that exists today is the product of a dramatic past.

The first house, Dalmore House, was damaged by a huge flood in 1829 and

demolished. It was rebuilt and known as New Mar Lodge. Disaster

struck again in 1895, when it was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt,

but almost 100 years later another fire caused substantial damage. Mar

Lodge was finally restored to its former glory in 1983. This is the

dining room? The heart of the house? Tell me how this would have

been in its heyday. They would have had venison from the estate to eat.

They could have caught fish in the rivers. They could then go through

to the library next door and then they have got the drawing room. The

National Trust for Scotland owns Mar Lodge now. They bought it in

1995. It is self-catering apartments, but it's also used for

weddings. Do you think the bad luck is now behind Mar Lodge? Hopefully

yes it can look to the future and can have a lot more visitors,

Now it's time for me to cook the main course, to create a delicacy

to beat all delicacies. Fingers crossed! I am cooking venison steak

with red wine and vegetables. I'll be honest, I've not cut -- cooked

venison before. Hopefully it will go according to the recipe. I've

got a beautiful bit of venison, some shallots, carrots and parsnips.

I am no Nigella. Hopefully I will brown the venison, take it out of

the pan, add shallots, cook them and the vegetables in red wine and

stock. In the oven, there we go. Deeside is beautiful and its famous

for its deer. Earlier today I went to meet David from the National

Trust for Scotland he explained a bit about balancing deer management

The deer numbers on the estate, historically, we are very high. The

weather is doing a huge amount of damage to the woodland, so we had

to bring their numbers down to a level that was more in keeping with

the landscape. We did that over a number of years and it proved to be

The difficulty is that we have two management objectives. We manage

for conservation and tree regeneration, we also manage as a

sporting estate. In the regeneration area we want deer

numbers to be as low as they can so that the trees have a chance to

come away and grow. But we need to have sufficient numbers in the

others are known to carry out field sports. I see a lot of new fences.

A lot of money has been spent on fencing. There is one new fence,

about four kilometres long. It creates a barrier, if you might,

between the regeneration zone and the more than zone. It's not an

enclosure. We are not keeping them out altogether. But it helps to

deflect deer as they come from the hill. It afflicts them in two areas

of woodland where we are happy for them today. In this part of the

estate we can see what is covered in snow today. But there are lots

of pine trees coming through and other species, Mike Birch. There

are lots of new trees coming away what would never have happened only

a few years ago. We have a 200 dear vision for the estate. The fencing

will hopefully be there for 30 years. Deer are a woodland creature.

That is where they want to be. Ultimately, once trees become

established, we hope to be able to let them back in. For the time

being, we need to let things settle down and I think we are where we

Let us see how this is turning out to. Excess hair! All fully it is

ready. Let us have wallets. I think, or one thing strikes me

straightaway. I perhaps but the vegetables in too soon and they are

slightly soft now. It is then it -- let us dish up. Venison casserole.

Are you happy with it? What do you think? I think it looks like a stew.

It does. The vegetables look a little bit soft. Cannot taste the

meat? It is billet. Bill it? In a casserole? Schoolgirl her. Really?

What are you thinking. It should not taste that good. Does it taste

good? Are you happy with that the presentation? You should know,

looks are not everything! And on The wait is over! And what a week

it was. That'll put hairs on your head... Your chest! Venison steak

in a red wine and vegetables Aust. Venison stew. A new potatoes,

broccoli and beans. What is a long been? Is it like a has been? Sole,

or root vegetables? The children would love that. He could eat these

without your teeth in. You do not need to chew. Nice and soft.

Bill it is nice but terribly dry. The broccoli is perfect. It is the

first time I have cut venison and I think it is not too bad. But you

have cooked potatoes before! They are overcooked? An awful lot of

pepper in the casserole. I think that is a good thing. All dear, it

is surely not going very well for Sera. Let us enter this agony and

get the verdict. The venison stew was pretty dry. The vegetables

where really soggy and the potatoes were like marbles. So I will give

her a four. The casserole had our real problems. Boulogne is not

something they should be stewed or braised so it was a big drive. The

root vegetables were overcooked and the potatoes were undercooked. That

was a shame because it could have been a nice dish and it had a good

flavour. I will give her a six. venison stew was not successful.

The source was peppery, the venison was due and the parsnips it would

look. But I will give her a six. The Christmas spirit must be

flowing generously indeed, because she has scored a sublime 16.

All the history, I had my part to play in this meal and I am not

My job is to provide the desert for this marvellous meal. Because I am

competitive, a want to win. To win, I will cheat. Elaine here is going

to help me, if not cook it for me. We're going to make tipsy Laird

trifle. It is a version of Scotch tribal. We will start with this

bunch. We will slice it up into a ball and next in Drambuie and

Cherie so that their sponge is soaked. A bitter fruit, a bit of

custard and cream. Easy. I will stand back and watch to! You

obviously know what you are doing. OK, we are going to take our Swiss

roll. Would you like to measure this? I am sure we can be generous!

People like to drink. 50 mm. All my good gracious. That seems like a

lot of drink! We're going to keep some of the raspberries back for

decoration on top. What is in this? This is mixed fruit it has Brambles,

redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries... Magic. I will do the

custard if you do the cream. I do not feel you have done much so far.

I had done nothing, actually! is the custard I made earlier. I do

not know where he has gone, I seem to be doing everything myself of.

Next thing is the cream on the top. I am going to do it in big dollops.

How is that? Absolutely delightful. Raspberries next. Some toasted

almonds on top. And there we have it. Tipsy Laird. I am exhausted

It is a complicated thing, a trifle. It has been a while. Did you hear a

car? I heard a door slammed. It is their quiet. It is quiet. Where can

he have gone? Something strange is going on. I will go and see if he

is about. Thank you very much. Goal and sought him out. I will.

long does it take to make a trifle? How are we? You have made a trifle.

Did you make it probably? Possibly. What is the proper way? Did you

make this bunch? The sponge was certainly made. The real custard?

Real custard. It was made from scratch. How much hand had you had

in this? I did quite a lot of... definitely think there is some

funny business going on here. However, the proof of the pudding

is in the eating. Perhaps it is in asking some awkward questions!

Apologies, it took a while. I am dreadfully sorry. I had to go out.

I am going to get the cream. There you go, sir. Thank you very much.

will give you a big portion has since no one that really eat the

main course. The raspberries are Spanish, you cannot get them here

in December. Are we were in the kitchen, you did not seem to build

showers in the kitchen. Where were you? I decided that because it was

a competition I was going to make mine away from here. How did you

make this bunch? It is not a ball sponge? What was the recipe? Give

it to us now. Quite a bit of flour. Some sugar... And how long in the

been? The thing is, it is not an exact science. Well, it is. Do you

get a faint hint of suspicion. not know what you're talking about.

I smell foul play. I wonder what that smells like. As much as I hate

to say it, it tastes good. Almost too good to... It cools the mouth

after the pit area in us of the venison. The cream... So the game

is up. Let us see how they punish, I mean, a score him. The pudding

for me it was a real triumph. It was packed full with Labour and

loaded with booze. If he had made it, up it would have been an eight.

But the reality is that he did not make it so I'm going to get him a

two. The tribal was lovely. A little bit too much cream and that

was overwhelming. Beautiful home mixed bunch, lots of booze, but he

did not make it so I'm giving him one. I love trifle. The trifle was

a very good, but a little bit too heavy for my liking after such a

beautiful main course. If he had made it himself I would have

awarded him an eight. But he did not and even though it is the

season of goodwill, I am sorry, I am giving him a three. The lean,

because you gave up with Dougie breathing down your neck, I am

going to give you and nine. That is a girl! I cannot believe it. I

cannot believe they found out I got outside help. Was it all about

winning or about taking part? I am disappointed.

The soap he scrapes a sorrowful six and I am surprised that he got that

much. The tribal however was delicious.

I am stuffed. That try for flawed May. It is time to sleep. A If only

we could. A bit of a post Neil sloppier in his house. Now it is

time to find out what the weather is going to do.

Thank you very much. It is very wet and very windy this weekend. And

the area of low pressure nearby is Bedi in these weather fronts,

feeding in yet more heavy and persistent rain and strong to gale-

force winds. Because of that a number of warnings are in force. An

amber warning throughout the country. Heavy and persistent rain.

Difficult conditions on the roads. Tomorrow afternoon is wet,

miserable and windy. Not pleasant in the slightest. Across the hills,

turning to snow but Orkney and Shetland will not see quite the

heaviest rain but it will be very windy indeed. Across the hills and

mountains, atrocious conditions. Blizzards, heavy snow and at times

winds gusting up to 80 miles an hour. There is a significant winter

chill to contend with. Across the inshore waters, south-westerly

Flaubert at times gusting up to wind Force seven. I read the Firth

of Forth, at times up to around deal eight. Glossies and moderate

his ability. Worse still across Shetland where at times we could

see Gail nine. Poor visibility and very rough seas. The rest of the

afternoon it into the evening and overnight, or we hold onto the

green warnings but then our focus is on the wind. Particularly across

Shetland. Storm-force winds for Shetland and at times fringing and

words ought me. Not a cold night with all that rain, cloud and wind,

temperatures no more than four or five. In two Sunday, more weather

fronts trying to work their way in but they are running up against

this mass of the area of high pressure in Russia and that is what

has been happening. By Sunday, the East is slightly dry. We use the

amber warning but the deals are still in play. As we head through

towards Christmas eve, the weather fronts start to get their act

together and push through quicker. Still some rain in the forecast but

we lose that persistence. On Christmas Eve, it is really the

West that will see rain with the areas in the east drier and

brighter. The bid itself, it is staying unsettled. We do not have

heavy or persistent rain and is to the western parts of the country

that will see it. Turning a little bit colder through the day. We

could see wintery flurries across the north-west, even at times

towards law levels. Much of the country should be dry with perhaps

some brightness. On Boxing Day, wintry showers in the north. That

is the weather forecast. Have a That was I am sure we are agreed a

memorable meal. Before us feel the winner, I thought we could toast

with a Christmas cocktail. Cheers. Cheers. Her nine out of ten! A very

nice. So... We will start in reverse order. Dougie. Six points.

Does that mean I am last? Last. Sarah, 16. And you come at 22.

Thank you very much., I am very proud. We have had a fantastic day

here at Royal Deeside. Landward will be back with a brand-new